Sign construction



Feb. 28, 1967 G. HUEY ETAL.

SIGN CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 18, 1964 INVENTORS Guy L.Hwey and Eliofifi J K 1388 9mg Wir ATTORNEYS Feb. 28, 1967 Filed June 18, 1964 G. L. HUEY ETAL SIGN CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS GwyL.Hue and Elliofiz? JKies ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,305,960 SIGN CONSTRUCTION Guy L. Huey and Elliott J. Kies, Massillon, Ohio, assignors to The Massilion-Cleveland-Akron Sign Company, Massillon, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 18, 1964, Ser. No. 376,153 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates to a sign construction for pointof-sale advertising. More particularly, it pertains to an upright tent-like sign that is adapted to be used to display automobile tires.

The present invention is a modification of the type of sign construction disclosed in copending patent application, Serial No. 299,617, filed August 2, 1963, of Guy L. Huey, now Patent No. 3,193,958, issued July 13, 1965. The sign construction disclosed in said application involved difiiculties of insulation and shipment which are overcome by changes in the form of the sign and means of attachment.

The sign of said copending application is cumbersome for shipment because of its relatively large size. The means for securing the sign to a tire are inaccessible from top-side. When the sign is partially mounted on a tire, the assembly must be overturned in order to completely secure the means of attachment. The foregoing difficulties are overcome by the sign construction of the present invention.

Associated with the foregoing are means for displaying a tire in a graphic manner between a pair of upright sign panels with the tire extending from opposite sides of and through the panels as a part of the advertising media on the panels. The tire is supported between the upright panels where it is retained by gravity.

Inasmuch as a relatively large pair ofsign panels is required, the panels are precreased to permit folding and shipment of the panels at a reduced size. The folded sign panel conforms more readily with size limitation established by most common carriers. The precreased panels also facilitate the assembly of the sign on a tire.

The panels are preferably composed of paperboard material which is frequently used for sales campaigns of limited duration. Precreased paperboard panels are weaker than uncreased panels in the installed condition. That is particularly true where the panels are used to support and display a relatively heavy article such as a rubber tire. For that reason reinforcing means are provided to maintain the panels rigid and to prevent their collapsing when supporting a tire. Moreover, where the sign is used for outdoor advertising the lower edges of the paperboard panels are reinforced to prevent damage of an otherwise unreinforced edge due to the weight of a tire and exposure to the weather.

It has been found that by providing adequate reinforcement of the paperboard panels at the proper locations, the panels may be strengthened sufficiently to not only overcome the weakening effect of precreasing and folding, but also to provide aligned openings in the panels to receive an automobile tire. Part of the reinforcing means for the assembled panels includes panel flap portions extending from and between the opposite edges of the panels as well as between the openings.

Moreover, when providing such openings, larger sign panels may be used because access to the area between the sign panels may be had through such openings for attaching the lower ends of the panels to a tire.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a sign construction composed of paperboard panels for mounting on an automobile tire.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sign construction having a reinforced tent-like configuration with lower edges of which fit on the top surface of an automobile tire.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sign construction having means for mounting and displaying an automobile tire in conjunction with theadvertising media on the outer surface of the panels.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sign construction having paperboard panels of relatively large size which are precreased and folded for shipment and which are reinforced when assembled to compensate for the weakening effect of such precreasing and folding.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide a sign construction composed of paperboard panels which is relatively inexpensive to provide and simple to install.

These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims may be obtained, the stated results achieved,

' set forth in the following general statement, a preferred embodiment of whichillustrative of the best mode in which applicants have contemplated applying the principlesis set forth in the following description and shown in the drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

In general terms, the present invention may be described as providing a sign preferably composed of paperboard panels which converge upwardly to an apex and which have lower ends for mounting on the upper side of an automobile tire, the lower end of each panel having arcuate end portions adjacent opposite edges of the panels for seating upon the side wall of a tire, the lower ends of each panel having a central depending portion extending into the center of the tire and having an elongated stiffening member with opposite end portions extending below an upper bead of the tire in clamping engagement, spacer rod means extending between the stiffening members for holding said members in spaced relation and against the head of the tire, the paperboard panels having aligned aperture means for mounting a second tire above the lower edges of the panel, and the panels having reinforcing flat portions extending between opposite edges of the panels as well as the aligned aperture means.

Referring to the drawings forming part hereof, in which the preferred form is shown by way of example:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a paperboard sign mounted on one automobile tire and supporting another tire;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the sign with said one tire in section and with the other tire omitted, and showing the sign in a preliminary collapsed position in broken lines;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the lower portion of the sign and tires taken on the line 33 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 1, and showing in broken line the manner in which the tire is placed in the sign; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the sign on the tire.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In FIG. 1 a sign construction is generally indicated at 1 and includes a tent-like structure having opposite side panels 2 and 3 with lower ends 4 and 5, respectively. The lower ends 4 and 5 are spaced apart and rest upon an automobile tire 6 having upper and lower beads 7 and 8, as shown more particularly in FIG. 2.

The side panels 2 and 3 extend upwardly and inwardly from their lower edges 4 and 5 and converge at their upper ends which are attached together to form an apex 9. The vertical edges of the side 2 are provided with inturned flaps and 11. Likewise, the edges of the side 3 are provided with inturned flanges 12 and 13. Flaps 10 and 12 have overlapping edge portions that are secured together by suitable means such as Tinnerman bolt and nut units 14. The flaps 11 and 13 are secured together in a similar manner.

The lower ends 4 and 5 of the panels have similar cutout arcuate portions 15 and 16 adapted to fit the curvature of the casing of the tire 6 upon which the sides 2 and 3 rest. A central depending portion 17 of each panel extends downwardly between the arcuate portions 15 and 16 and into the center opening of the tire 6 (F IG. 3). Each central depending portion has an upturned end portion 18 and an elongated rigid stiffening member 19 is attached to the central depending portion 17 such as by staples 24]v The member 19 is preferably composed of wood.

The arcuate portions 15 and 16 extend from opposite edges of the central depending portion 17 to the adjacent edges 21 and 22 of the side panels 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 3, when the side panels 2 and 3 are initially placed upon the tire 6 (as shown in the broken line positions of FIGIZ), the arcuate edge portions 15 and 16 are completely seated in place so that the member 19 is disposed completely below the bead 7. In that position subsequent spreading of the side panels 2 and 3 to the completely installed position (as shown by solid lines of FIG, 2) is facilitated. The lower ends are readily moved laterally from the vertical axis of the sign to the spaced positions with opposite end portions of the stiffening member 19 extending under the upper tire bead 7 and clamping the tire in place against the arcuate end portions 15 and 16.

The sign panels are retained in the spread-apart positions by a single spacer rod 23 which has threaded end portions on which at least one wing nut 24 is provided. Each wing nut 24 is in contact with the inner surface of the central depending portion and the rod end portions extend through aligned apertures in said portion and the attached stiffening member to prevent the depending end portions 17 from subsequently moving together and to hold them in their clamping position upon the tire 6. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the spacer rod 23 may be provided with additional wing nuts 24a on the outer surface of the panels.

Each side panel 2 and 3 is provided with an opening 25 and 26 of similar size and configuration and aligned with each other. The openings 25 and 26 are adapted to receive and maintain a tire 27 in a vertical position for advertising and display purposes. The openings are formed by scoring and folding side panel flap portions 28 and 29 (FIG. 4) inwardly to form reinforcement for the sign 1. As shown in FIG. 4, upper end portions of the flaps 28 and 29, on each side of the openings 25 and 26, are secured together by Tinnerman nut and bolt units 14.

Because of the relatively large size of the sign panels 2 and 3, the panels are preferably folded horizontally at 30 and 31 so that the lower panel portions may be folded upwardly between the upper panel portions for reduced size to facilitate shipping. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the folds 30 and 31 extend across the inturned flaps 10, 11, 28, and 29 at 30a and 30b and 31a and 31b. The combination of the folds 30 and 31 and the openirigs 25 and 26 would normally prevent the sign 1 from remaining upright, as shown in FIG. 1, particularly when supporting the tire 27. However, the inturned flaps 10, 11, 12, 13, 28, and 29 when secured together, prevent the sign panels 2 and 3 from collapsing and hold the sign 1 upright under normal conditions. 7 v In addition to the foregoing, because of the, added weight of the sign with the tire 27 mounted in place,

i. the arcuate end portions 15 and 16 are provided with edge reinforcing strips 32 and 33 which extend across the lower edge portions of the sign panels 2 and 3 between the opposite edges of each side panel. The strips are glued in place and reinforced by spaced staples 34. Thus, the Weight of the tire mounting sign 1 is borne by the arcuate edge portions 15 and 16 without being damaged.

Finally, the tire 27 is inserted in place in the manner shown by the broken lines of FIG. 4. Thus, a flap portion 35 of each panel 2 and 3 is preferably provided with a precreased fold line 36 at the upper end of each opening 25 and 26 which portion may be turned up and out to enlarge the opening when the tire 27 is installed or removed. The lower edge of each flap portion 35 is shaped to fit the tire snugly.

The device of the present invention provides a new and useful paperboard sign construction by which a relatively heavy product such as a tire may be used for graphic display in a point-of-sale advertisement. The device incorporates folds for easy shipment and provides tire openings for the side panels which, together with the folds, would normally weaken the entire sign construction. However, the additional use of panel reinforcing flap portions provides additional means for preventing collapsing of the sign in normal use.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations have been implied therefrom as such words are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact construction shown.

Having now described the invention, construction, operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful sign construction and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sign construction for mounting on the side of a first automobile tire and for mounting a second tire for display, including a pair of sign panels, each panel having upper and lower ends and opposite edges, each of said sign panels being of greater height than the diameter of the second tire, the lower end of each panel having a convex arcuate portion adjacent one of the edges, the arcuate portions of each lower end forming a central depending portion extending into the center of a first automobile tire, means for securing the central depending portions of each lower end to said first tire, the sign panels having aligned upright elongated apertures for holding a second tire within and between the panels, said apertures being substantially as long as the second tire, each panel having inturned reinforcing flap portions on opposite edges, and each panel having a second pair of inturned reinforcing flap portions on opposite sides of the apertures, there being a transversely disposed fold midway between the upper and lower ends of each panel and extending through each of the reinforcing flaps thereon for shipping the sign in a compact manner, and means securing each reinforcing flap to the corresponding flap portion of the other panel, whereby the flap portions reinforce the unfolded panels in the installed position, maintaining the panels rigid and preventing their collapsing when supporting a second tire for display.

2. A sign construction as defined in claim 1, in which there is a flap portion provided with a precreased fold line at the upper end of each aperture, said last mentioned flap portion being adapted to be turned up and out to enlarge the aperture when a second tire is installed or removed, the lower edge of said flap portion being shaped to fit the second tire.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Fischer 248-174 Dietsche 248-174 Scherotto 248174 Gibbs 21124 McCausland 248-474 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

HERBERT F. ROSS, Examiner. 

1. A SIGN CONSTRUCTION FOR MOUNTING ON THE SIDE OF A FIRST AUTOMOBILE TIRE AND FOR MOUNTING A SECOND TIRE FOR DISPLAY, INCLUDING A PAIR OF SIGN PANELS, EACH PANEL HAVING UPPER AND LOWER ENDS AND OPPOSITE EDGES, EACH OF SAID SIGN PANELS BEING OF GREATER HEIGHT THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE SECOND TIRE, THE LOWER END OF EACH PANEL HAVING A CONVEX ARCUATE PORTION ADJACENT ONE OF THE EDGES, THE ARCUATE PORTIONS OF EACH LOWER END FORMING A CENTRAL DEPENDING PORTION EXTENDING INTO THE CENTER OF A FIRST AUTOMOBILE TIRE, MEANS FOR SECURING THE CENTRAL DEPENDING PORTIONS OF EACH LOWER END TO SAID FIRST TIRE, THE SIGN PANELS HAVING ALIGNED UPRIGHT ELONGATED APERTURES FOR HOLDING A SECOND TIRE WITHIN AND BETWEEN THE PANELS, SAID APERTURES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY AS LONG AS THE SECOND TIRE, EACH PANEL HAVING INTURNED REINFORCING FLAP PORTIONS ON 